A Critical Discourse Analysis of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Korean Newspaper Editorials

Abstract

This study investigated how newspaper editorials contribute implicitly to what people know and think about by recontextualizing the discourses of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) policy. Drawing from Fairclough s critical discourse analysis, we examined 311 editorials on ECEC policies of two mainstream Korean newspapers, Chosun Ilbo and Joongang Ilbo, published from 1991 to 2016. Findings are that the text of discourses changed to reflect shifts in ECEC policy. The textual elements emphasized or de-emphasized information or opinion about events or situations. By controlling the text contents, editorials participated in the (re)formation of discourses, and these discourses were recontextualized to express ideological positions that they support through the interface with social-cultural contexts. The recontextualized discourses can influence the socio-cultural context by building public awareness and bringing political reaction. This study suggests that language, including in newspaper editorials, should be analyzed as a social practice through the lens of discourse.